Last call for coffee swap

Today is the last day to register and have your questionnaire up for the Spring Fling Coffee Swap. So once again you readers can chose to wade through this stuff at your own peril.

Spring Fling Coffee Swap Questionnaire
Coffee

1. What is your preference? Whole beans or ground?
Usually whole bean, but ground for a French Press is a great thing!
2. What kind of coffees do you enjoy? A rich, bold roast; a light, fresh one, or something in between? Leaded or non?
Dark roast loaded with caffeine!
3. If you were headed out right now to buy some coffee for the house, what would you be picking up?
Either French Roast or Espresso.
4. Do you drink for caffeine, pleasure, or both?
Both. I love the full flavor of a dark coffee, but if I don't have caffeine in time, I will get a headache!
5. Do you enjoy flavored coffees? How about add-ins or flavored creamers?
No and not usually. I will drink it with nice hot frothy milk without flavoring, or iced with milk or half and half. Once in a rare while I will put a bit of real maple syrup or molasses in my coffee, or almond or vanilla syrup. But over 99% f the time I am drinking it "barefoot" (black).
6. A large, lovely mug or a small, dainty cup?
Mug
7. Describe your perfect cup - not JUST the coffee, but how you'd enjoy it!
Well, now that it is warming up and the snow is melting, I am looking forward to drinking coffee out on the deck with my knitting and enjoying my yard and the animals, both domestic and wild. That is about as close to perfection as it comes, at least until it is too hot and muggy. (Perfection also comes in the form of Hubband bringing me coffee in bed.)

8. You're sitting down to enjoy a nice cup in the local coffee shop, knitting bag in hand, iPod all tuned up - or maybe you're there with a few friends for knit night! What treat do you pick up to enjoy with your coffee? A sweet, rich brownie, or something more healthy? How about a salty treat? What goes best with that great cup and company?
Well, my Wednesday night knitting group meets at a coffee shop, so.... Some nights I love the yogurt with berries and granola, other nights I fall for the shortbread cookie.

Yarn

1. Do you knit or crochet?
Knit

2. What are your favorite types of yarns to work with?
Soft, non-squeaky, pretty yarn.

3. What do you have on the needles (or hook!) right now?
A sock that has been giving me grief for months (it is going in for help soon), a dishcloth or two, a scarf, and a sweater. Well, that is what I can remember for now anyway!

4. What are your favorite colors in yarns? What about those that you'd never find in your stash?
As far as yarn goes, I am really open minded. I have soft quite ones, loud vibrant ones, solids, and mixes. I have an amazing amount of whites in a variety of different fibers, but those all have the potential of becoming something else after all. I cant think of anything that wouldn't ever be welcome in my stash. Doesn't always mean it would grow up to live in my wardrobe, but I am always happy to help something grow up to become self sufficient and independent from me!

5. What sort of needles or hooks do you enjoy using? Any you just detest?
I usually use bamboo circulars for most stuff. I tend to drop straight needles and have them roll away at the worst times. I have made all of my socks so far on double points and have been happy with those, but am thinking about learning Magic Loop and/or two circulars. (I am most always up for learning new stuff, especially when I get to choose what it is!)

6. Are there any particular notions you absolute do NOT need? Some of us swap a lot - are you sure that you have enough tape measures to last your lifetime? Enough stitch markers to mark every stitch of a 10 foot wide afghan?
At this point I think I have enough stitch markers for a while. I do keep looking for my tape measure though and it always seems to be in some other knitting bag than the one I have with me; same seems to go for fold-up scissors.

7. You walk into the yarn shop and have exactly and only enough money to purchase 2 skeins of yarn in their 2 for 20 special they have going..The choices are a soft, thick cotton/viscose blend in your favorite colors, slightly variegated..a beautiful sock yarn that's just squishy and sproingy in your hands.. a soft, worsted weight wool like malabrigo.. and a lovely bamboo blend with colors to just die for. Which do you walk out the door with?
As hard as the choice would be, I think I would go for the bamboo blend. I have sock yarn to last several (plus) pairs, several skeins of Malabrigo calling to me to help them grow already, and some cotton yarns hanging out. (Well maybe not cotton/viscose blend, I would have to go look...) I think I might only have one skein of bamboo and I am sure it is lonely and would love the company. (Good thing you didn't ask me about Maizy yarn, nobody in this town even sells it, so I would love to get some of that to try!)
Spring

1. We're starting sign-ups on the first day of Spring - is it already truly Spring-like where you are?
Well, sure, if spring includes fifty degrees to melt snow, then six plus inches of more snow, then melting, more snow, repeat, repeat.... Yep that would be spring around here. I was bulbs coming up in the garden on the first day of spring, and just a couple of days later, they were buried deep in white stuff. I am sure they are enjoying the sun today, and they had best, 'cause they are likely going to get more snow tomorrow night.
2. What's your favorite spring flower? Do you have one?
Daffodils are most excellent. They come in a lot of different varieties and the deer don't like to dig them up and eat them. (As opposed to the other 300 plus different bulbs I planted our first fall here.) I also like crocus and Lilly of the Valley. Just 'cause they are so determined to not let the snow and cold stop them from their goal in life.

3. What do you most look forward to about springtime?
Flowers, deciding what will go in the garden, baby animals about, the return of migrating birds.

4. They've predicted a gorgeous day tomorrow - Sunny and about 65 with a nice breeze - how do you spend your day?
With any luck having a picnic in the yard or on the deck for lunch. Knitting in the sunshine. Running the grill for dinner.

5. The day after, it's going to be cooler and pouring down rain - does that impact your mood? How do you spend that day? what helps cheer you up?
Impact my mood? Nah, that's just par for the course, it will change again soon enough I'm guessing. It is rain after all, not snow (though it could be). I would just spend the day inside, knitting, reading cooking. Or out and about, running errands that didn't get done the day before.

Odds n Ends

1. Do you collect anything BESIDES yarn and needles?
Well, sort of I guess. I have snowflake stuff, but I never intentionally set out to collect it, it just kind of grew. Books, lots of books.

2. Are you allergic to anything?
Cigarette smoke and strong perfume smells.

3. Do you have pets?
Two bassets and one kitten
4. Is this your first swap, or are you an old pro? What are the last 2 swaps you participated in?
Well, I guess I am turning into an "old pro." I have participated in Anne's last three dishcloth swaps and last coffee swap. I have also been in a tea swap and a few others (see side bar).

5. List 3 of your favorite blogs - craft related or not - and tell us why you love them.
Three! Only three?! OK, I'll try....
Shut Up, I'm Counting; just because Cass has a great way of trying to make everything have a positive spin, even in the face of adversity. (And she's got my back.)
Alabama Fiber Dreams because Jessi has inspired me in more ways than she knows.
A Year In Bread Baking. Bread. Pictures. Can it get any better? Talk about inspiration!